Category: Advertorial Feature

Posted in Advertorial Feature, Events

Support Ladies, Littles, and Lattes at the Garden Gala Fundraiser on March 8

Posted on by Amanda

Imagine a place in Franklin County where parents can take their children to play in a safe, clean, and indoor play environment that’s available throughout the four seasons. And, picture parents and caregivers getting the chance to engage with each other over a cup of coffee while the little ones play nearby. If this scenario sounds like a dream come true, you should know that there’s a group of local moms working diligently to turn that dream into a reality. 

What started as a way to connect with other parents and form playgroups has shifted into creating a space where families from around the community can meet, engage, and learn. Just over two years after its founding, the private Facebook group called Ladies, Littles, and Lattes + GRPC is 1,400 members strong, and growing. It was co-founded by Sarah Walsh and Emily Tyler and is based on an idea that was inspired by the playgroups Sarah was a part of when she lived in Illinois. 

“When my family moved to Union in August 2022, I noticed a lack of engaging opportunities for parents and children to connect with others in the community,” Sarah explains. 

The rapid growth of the Facebook group shows there is a clear need for the meetups. Currently the group hosts in person meetups at the Franklin County Resource Center—Monday mornings for moms or female caregivers and their children, and Saturdays for the whole family. These gatherings offer a space for parents to share life experiences and challenges, as well as connect, support, and encourage one another while their kids play, learn, and grow together.

“We regularly host 10 to 25 moms and their children at each two-hour playdate meetup. This success has inspired us to take the next step: creating a permanent space of our own for families in our community,” Sarah says.

The next step towards bringing the play space to life

Last March, Ladies, Littles, and Lattes officially received its 501(c)(3) status, which allows for fundraising for its newest project called Growing Roots Play Cafe. The indoor play space will offer a variety of interactive play areas for children, including a climbing structure, soft play area, sensory section, and imagination houses. In addition to play spaces, the cafe will provide resources and classes for families and a comfortable space for caregivers to relax and connect.

Since forming its non-profit status, the organization has received support from the community sharing the mission and vision of the organization in a grassroots effort, along with some local media coverage, and lots of support and hard work from its board members.

“This dream wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our incredible board members, who have worked tirelessly to help bring this vision closer to reality. Together, our team is committed to making Growing Roots Play Cafe a place where all families feel accepted, encouraged, and connected,” Sarah shares.

To bring Growing Roots Play Cafe to life, the group will be applying for grants, seeking sponsorships, and hosting various fundraising events. On Saturday, March 8, Ladies, Littles, & Lattes + GRPC is hosting a Garden Gala at Triple 3 Vineyard in Washington to help raise funds to propel the organization forward in its mission.

The March 8 event is from 5 to 9 p.m. and attendees can expect dinner, an open bar, music by Eagle Entertainment, plus a silent auction, and guest speakers. Tickets for the Garden Gala are available online. 

For anyone unable to attend the event, there are a few different ways to donate to the organization online to help support its mission. 

Find out more about Ladies, Littles, and Lattes + GRPC by following it on Facebook.

Posted in Advertorial Feature, Events

Support the Legacy Leadership Foundation at the Legacy Gala Masquerade on March 1

Posted on by Amanda

Editorial note: On Tuesday, Feb. 25, the Legacy Leadership Foundation announced on Facebook that due to circumstances beyond its control, the Gala has been canceled.

On Saturday, March 1, The Historic John B. Busch Brewery Event Center will be the site of the Legacy Leadership Foundation’s 2025 fundraising event the Legacy Gala Masquerade. 

The event will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. and the evening will be filled with mingling, dining, and dancing. In what Legacy Leadership Foundation founder Kari Klenke promises will be a family-friendly evening, attendees can opt to embrace the masquerade theme and dress in a costume complete with an elegant, Venetian-style mask, or in business-dress attire. 

Photo via Legacy Leadership Foundation’s Facebook

About the Legacy Leadership Foundation

Kari is an experienced educator who also operates Heart & Heritage Academy, a homeschool hybrid learning center in Franklin County. With Legacy Leadership Foundation, Kari’s vision is to be a resource for local families by providing educational options that extend beyond the public school system. 

A major component of the Foundation includes providing financial support for educational needs like homeschool curriculum or supplies, as well as money to pay for specialized testing, providing student accommodations, or access to various therapy programs, such as speech therapy. Although those programs and tests are often necessary to help students further their education, in instances such as when speech therapy is necessary for learning, it may not be covered by medical insurance because it’s deemed an educational expense and that means families are left to pay for it out-of-pocket. 

Now in its third year, the fundraiser not only provides support for testing, therapy, and other student accommodations, the funds also help sponsor fun social events for homeschooled teens in the Franklin County area. Those events include homecoming and prom dances, and a graduation ceremony, so that homeschooled teenagers have the same opportunity to attend events that are often looked at as a “teenage milestone,” but are typically only attended by students in the public school system. 

Planning for the future

“Another long-term goal we’re working toward is offering a curriculum and homeschool library and curriculum resale shop here in Franklin County,” Kari shares. 

Currently, there’s a similar concept in St. Charles County, a non-profit organization called Family Vision Library, located in St. Peters, that offers books and videos for Christian families who homeschool. Kari hopes to replicate that concept in our area, since it works a lot like a public library, in that materials are on loan for free and are available for in-person pick up or can be sent by mail. However, the homeschool library concept differs from a public library, since the materials are focused on homeschool curriculum needs, rather than the broader base of materials one finds in a public library. 

One of the best ways to support the vision of Legacy Leadership Foundation is by attending the gala. Tickets for the gala are $50 per person, or $375 for a table of eight and can be bought online until Wednesday, Feb. 26. Purchase tickets here.

If you’re unable to attend the event, another way to support the organization is by purchasing a sponsorship, or making a donation. Find out more about sponsorship opportunities online. 

Learn more about Legacy Leadership Foundation on its website, and by following it on Facebook or Instagram.

Posted in Advertorial Feature, News and Features

The Kind Kitchen and Express Kiosk Provides Healthy Meal Options in Pacific

Posted on by Amanda

The Kind Kitchen & Express Kiosk is a Pacific-based business owned by Sam Mueller, a self-taught personal chef. While a big part of her business is offering healthy prepared meals to people, Sam is also passionate about partnering with other local small business owners and bringing the community together at events, like classes she leads where attendees can learn a new food-related skill.

I attended the most recent event, a charcuterie and wine pairing class held at Winehouse 66, a wine bar and event space in Pacific. The evening was fun, educational, and of course, delicious. During the course of the evening, myself and the other guests of the class sampled four wines that were paired with a charcuterie item that accompanied the wine. 

Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

After each pour, Natalie with Winehouse 66 shared details about the specific wine, while Sam delivered a charcuterie selection and explained the components in each selection. And since nothing can enhance a great wine like cheese, naturally, there were a lot of different cheeses. Everything from an amazing truffle cheddar to a soft, silky goat cheese, brie, and Manchego were present. Paired with the cheeses were savory bites like Genoa salami and capicola, to sweeter pairings such as dried apricot and blackberry jam.

Once the tasting portion was complete, we got started on making our own charcuterie boxes. Sam provided the delectable ingredients like olives, fruit, crackers, meat and cheeses, and demonstrated techniques, like how to make a salami rose, that helped us make Pinterest-worthy charcuterie boards in the class, and that’s a skill I know I intend to use in the future. Everyone who attended the class was able to take their charcuterie box home with them, except for people like me, who couldn’t resist snacking on it as soon as I’d assembled it to my liking and snapped a quick picture!

Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

More about The Kind Kitchen

While the events are a fun way to bring people together, most days you can find Sam preparing meals in a private commercial kitchen in Union. The selections vary from week to week, but they’re shared on the business’s website, where customers can pre-order their meals and pick up their orders at the kiosk, located inside the Beauty & Barber Bar salon at 203 N. First St., Unit 1B in Pacific. Customers that choose not to pre-order meals can also drop by the kiosk and pick up grab and go meals or snacks.

Options typically include a breakfast offering, such as breakfast bowls, entrees that can be eaten for lunch or dinner, like soups, bowls, and sometimes simple, yet healthy, selections like a protein and one or two kinds of vegetables. 

No matter the offerings, at the heart of The Kind Kitchen is the mission to provide meals that nourish the body through using fresh ingredients and a focus on healthy, protein-forward items that are as flavorful and delicious as they are nutritious. Protein is such an integral part of the menu, that Sam created a protein dessert option called pronuts.

The delightful treats are something you can feel good about eating, while also helping you hit your daily protein goals. As the name implies, pronuts are a protein donut that come in rotating flavors and are available at the kiosk, as well as at the nearby Little Ireland coffee shop. 

To find out more details about the menu offerings and ordering options, as well as any upcoming events or classes, visit The Kind Kitchen’s website or follow it on Facebook.